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Madeleine McCann's twin siblings, Amelie and Sean, have told the court that their encounters with an alleged stalker were deeply disturbing and creepy. They described feeling anxious and scared by a woman who insisted she was their long-lost sister.

Persistent Contact Detailed as Scary

Testifying via video link, she stated how the defendant, the 24-year-old, contacted her multiple times through online platforms and written correspondence. She said the relentlessness was quite scary because you don’t know what her next move might be.

Communications from the defendant were presented in court, in which she described recollections of living in the McCann household that she said were recovered under hypnosis. She testified, It’s quite upsetting that she’s coming up with these alleged recollections, despite the fact she’s not Maddie.

Altered Pictures Heightened Distress

The court heard that Wandelt had produced images of herself and Amelie as young girls, which the state alleged were generated with AI tools. A number of these photos were transmitted through online channels, while others were produced physically and included in a mail to her.

Amelie said, It was unpleasant, it caused me to feel very uneasy. It was evident she edited the images to make me look more like her, which was very disturbing. I knew I didn’t look like that, I knew it had been changed.

Emotional Impact on the Family

Amelie also spoke about the impact of the alleged harassment on her mother, their mother, who testified about being confronted at her residence by the defendant and her alleged accomplice, Karen Spragg.

I think my mum found it the most difficult. My mother was targeted by Julia more than the others in the family and I think it definitely took its toll on her and her mental health, Amelie testified. It’s upsetting when someone’s pleading with you to believe them and playing with your feelings, to the point you are questioning yourself.

Sibling's Statement on Anxiety and Digital Scrutiny

In a witness statement presented to the court, Sean McCann stated that personally, he had not been severely impacted by Wandelt's alleged stalking. But he had been distressed that she was attracting online attention, with people posting nasty and unfair things about his parents.

If Wandelt was not mentally ill and was fully aware she is not Maddie, yet continues to assert she is, that will be very upsetting for me, he testified. I do not believe she is my sibling. The reality that the defendant is doing this has caused me a great deal of stress and I find it deeply disturbing.

The defendant and her co-defendant have pleaded not guilty to stalking the McCann household. Proceedings are ongoing.